Panel

ABSTRACT

A composite cladding panel has an internal skin or backing tray ( 2 ), and an external skin ( 3 ) with foam insulation ( 4 ) between the tray ( 2 ) and skin ( 3 ). A pre-formed gasket ( 20 ) is bonded to the external skin ( 3 ) and a coating ( 30 ) is applied to the external skin ( 3 ) of the panel and to an outer face ( 21 ) of the gasket ( 20 ) to provide a surface finish such as a textured finish. No joint is visible between the coated skins ( 3 ) of adjacent panels.

INTRODUCTION

The invention relates to a composite cladding panel of the type comprising an inner skin and an external skin with insulation foam material therebetween.

Buildings comprising a steel frame on which pre-formed panels are mounted may be erected quickly and more cheaply than buildings with brick or block facades.

One of the problems with buildings constructed from pre-formed panels is that such panels can often be uninteresting aesthetically. It is known to form such panels with various profiles and in various colours, however, there is still a need to provide an aesthetically different façade in some cases.

This invention is directed towards providing a panel system which will address this need.

STATEMENTS OF INVENTION

According to the invention there is provided a composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a gasket extending along one edge thereof, the gasket having a decorative coating on an external face thereof.

In one embodiment the external skin and/or the internal skin have profiled joint forming portions for connecting adjacent panels. The panel may have a projecting part on one side and a corresponding recess on the opposite side of the panel.

In one case the external skin has a projecting part on one side and a corresponding recess on the other side of the panel, the gasket being located in or an the projecting part and/or recess. The gasket may be located in the recess defined by the external skin.

In one embodiment wherein the gasket is bonded to the skin. The gasket may be adhesively bonded to the skin. The gasket may have an adhesive thereon for bonding to the skin.

In one embodiment the coating is applied to the gasket after mounting the gasket to the panel.

The coating may be applied to the external skin and the external face of the gasket.

The coating may comprise a screed-type finish.

The invention also provides a method for manufacturing a cladding panel of the type comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, the method comprising the steps, after forming the panel, of applying a gasket to one side of the panel, and applying a coating to the external skin of the panel and the external face of the gasket.

The coating may be applied after applying the gasket to the panel. The gasket may be bonded to the panel. In one case, the gasket is adhesively bonded to the panel.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description thereof given by way of example only, in which:—

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic partially cross-sectional view of a known composite insulating cladding panel;

FIG. 2 is a view of the composite panel of the invention with a gasket being applied;

FIG. 3 is a view illustrating the gasket applied;

FIG. 4 is a view of a coating being applied to the gasket and panel;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of two adjacent panels prior to jointing;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the panels of FIG. 5 jointed together;

FIG. 6( a) is a schematic cross-sectional view of a partially open joint; and

FIGS. 7( a) to 7(h) are diagrams illustrating various steps in the method of manufacturing and using the panels of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIG. 1 there is illustrated a composite cladding panel 1. The panel 1 comprises a skin or backing tray 2 which is usually of steel and an external skin 3 which is also usually of steel with a layer of foam insulation material 4 such as a phenolic or polyurethane based foam material therebetween. The panel may be of any suitable type such as that described in our UK 2325678A.

The panel has formations along both side edges. The formations are profiled so that one side edge of a panel is interengagable, on assembly, with the opposite side edge of an adjacent panel. Thus, the external skin 3 is profiled to define a male projecting part 6 along one side and a corresponding recess 7 along the opposite side. Similarly the internal skin 2 is profiled to define a male projecting part 8 along one side and a corresponding recess 9 along the opposite side. Various seals may be provided at the joint.

In the invention, a pre-formed gasket 20 of a suitable material such as a flexible material, for example a plastic or rubber is bonded to the external skin 3, in this case to the recess-forming portion 7 of the external skin 3. The gasket 20 has a generally flat main part 21 and a depending leg 22 for bonding to the external skin 3. The main part 21 has an external face 23 to which a coating such as a screed 30 is applied. The gasket 20 is bonded to the external skin in any suitable manner. For example the leg 12 of the gasket may have an adhesive thereon for bonding to the external skin 3. Alternatively or additionally, adhesive may be applied to one or both of the gasket leg 22 or external skin 3. For ease of use, generally the gasket 20 can be self-adhesively bonded to the external skin 3. An adhesive layer 25 is shown schematically in the drawings.

The coating 30 is in this case applied after the gasket 20 has been bonded to the external skin 3. The coating 30 is applied not only to the outer face of the main part 21 of the gasket 20 but also to the external skin 3 to the opposite side of the panel. In the drawings, the depth of the coating has been exaggerated for illustrative purposes. The coating 30 may be applied in any suitable manner such as by using a spray head 40. Any suitable material may be used as a coating to provide any desired surface finish. It may provide a textured finish, for example.

The coating 30 may be applied fully to the external skin from the gasket 20 to opposite side edge or it may be interrupted or patterned to provide any desired effect. There may be more than one layer/coat applied. For thicker coatings, the coating may be stopped short of the opposite side edge or may be tapered towards this edge so that an assembly of adjacent panels there is continuity between the coatings of adjacent panels as illustrated in FIG. 6. No joint is visible.

The coating 30 is applied to the external face of the gasket 20 and to the external skin 3 of the panel. An edge coating 50 may be applied to an overlap region 52 adjacent the edge of the panel opposite to the edge to which the gasket 20 is applied. Referring to FIG. 5 the pigment/paint 50 may be applied to any bare surface region 52 of the projecting part 6. The paint 50 may be applied in any suitable manner, for example using a spray head 51. The paint will generally be the same colour/pigment as that of the render coating 20. It may be the same pigment as that of the render 20 but without containing any aggregate so that a thin layer can be applied. The paint 50 ensures that in extreme conditions if the panels expand/contract slightly any gap between the render coatings of adjacent panels at the joint is not readily visible. An extreme exaggerated example is illustrated schematically in FIG. 6( a).

There are many advantages of the invention. Because the coating can be applied off site from the location where the cladding panels are to be used the installation is simplified. There is no need for separate coatings to be applied on-site, thus avoiding the use of so-called wet trades on site whilst still providing an aesthetically desirable finish.

Very many variations on the invention are possible. For example, a gasket and a coating may be applied alternatively or additionally to the internal skin. The inner coating may be different from the outer coating.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments hereinbefore described which may be varied in detail. 

1-27. (canceled)
 28. A composite cladding panel comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, one of the skins having a gasket extending along one edge thereof, the gasket having a decorative coating on an external face thereof.
 29. The panel as claimed in claim 28 wherein the external skin and/or the internal skin have profiled joint forming portions for connecting adjacent panels.
 30. The panel as claimed in claim 29 wherein the panel has a projecting part on one side and a corresponding recess on the opposite side of the panel.
 31. The panel as claimed in claim 30 wherein the external skin has a projecting part on one side and a corresponding recess on the other side of the panel, the gasket being located in or on the projecting part and/or recess.
 32. The panel as claimed in claim 31 wherein the gasket is located in the recess defined by the external skin.
 33. The panel as claimed in claim 28 wherein the gasket is bonded to the skin.
 34. The panel as claimed in claim 33 wherein the gasket is adhesively located to the skin.
 35. The panel as claimed in claim 34 wherein the gasket has an adhesive thereon for bonding to the skin.
 36. The panel as claimed in claim 28 wherein the coating is applied to the gasket after mounting the gasket to the panel.
 37. The panel as claimed in claim 28 wherein the coating comprises a screed-type finish.
 38. The panel as claimed in claim 28 wherein the coating is applied to the external face of the gasket and to the external skin of the panel.
 39. The panel is claimed in claim 38 wherein an edge coating is applied to an overlap region adjacent the edge of the panel opposite to the edge to which the gasket is applied.
 40. The panel as claimed in claim 39 wherein the edge coating has a different formulation to that of the coating applied to the gasket.
 41. The panel as claimed in claim 40 wherein the edge coating may comprise a paint/pigment.
 42. The panel as claimed in 41 wherein the edge coating is of the same colour as that of the coating applied to the gasket.
 43. A method for manufacturing a cladding panel of the type comprising an internal skin and an external skin with insulation material therebetween, the method comprising the steps, after forming the panel, of applying a gasket to one side of the panel, and applying a coating to the external skin of the panel and the external face of the gasket.
 44. The method as claimed in claim 43 wherein the coating is applied after applying the gasket to the panel.
 45. The method as claimed in claim 43 wherein the gasket is bonded to the panel.
 46. The method as claimed in claim 45 wherein the gasket is adhesively bonded to the panel.
 47. The method as claimed in claim 43 wherein the coating comprises a screed-type finish.
 48. The method as claimed in claim 43 wherein the coating is applied to the external face of the gasket and to the external skin of the panel.
 49. The method as claimed in claim 48 wherein an edge coating is applied to an overlap region adjacent the edge of the panel opposite to the edge to which the gasket is applied.
 50. The method as claimed in claim 49 wherein the edge coating has a different formulation to that of the coating applied to the gasket.
 51. The method as claimed in claim 50 wherein the edge coating comprises a paint/pigment.
 52. The method as claimed in 51 wherein the edge coating is of the same colour as that of the coating applied to the gasket. 